Girl Scouts is often associated with cookie sales, but for many members, that is only a small part of what the organization does. Throughout the year, local troops take on projects that address environmental concerns, food insecurity and support for families in need.

Sophomore Amelia Riegel said her troop focuses on responding to different needs in the community rather than limiting themselves to one type of service. “My troop usually tries to address really any problems,” Riegel said. “We do a lot of work with parks to help with the environment and we help pick up trash and stuff, but we’re also focused on sustainability.”

Her troop regularly partners with local parks to clean up litter and maintain green spaces. Some members have gone further by creating projects aimed at protecting animals in specific park areas. According to Riegel, the goal is to make sure their work goes beyond a single afternoon of volunteering. The troop also volunteers at food banks and organizes service projects to support families facing medical challenges. In one effort, they assembled care packages for NICU babies and their parents. “We really just try to help anyone we can,” Riegel said.

For her individual service project, Riegel focused on rising grocery costs. She created a collection of affordable recipes for low-income families and college students who may rely on fast food because it is inexpensive and convenient. The project also includes tips for saving money while grocery shopping and continues to expand with additional recipes. Community response to these projects has been positive, according to Yonghua Zhang, Riegel’s mother and a troop mom who is closely involved in organizing and supporting events. “We typically receive very good responses,” Zhang said when asked how people outside of Girl Scouts react to their projects.

She pointed to programs such as the cookie sale, flower sales and the troop’s Easter egg event as examples of initiatives that consistently receive support. “Our cookie program and our Easter egg program are always successful,” Zhang said.

As a troop mom, Zhang works directly with the girls and helps coordinate activities. She believes Girl Scouts are especially effective at addressing certain types of issues. “Projects involving children or the environment are more focused,” Zhang said. “They do different kinds of projects.”

Sophomore Roxy Stock said leadership development is another key part of scouting’s impact. She is currently working toward her Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. Unlike a typical volunteer activity, the Gold Award requires scouts to design and carry out a sustainable project that creates long-term change. Agreeing with Riegel, Stock said that “It’s not just a community service project, It’s about changing something. It has to be sustainable.”

Recently, Stock’s troop hosted a badge camp for girls in kindergarten through fifth grade. The camp focused on body positivity and self-confidence, encouraging younger girls to appreciate themselves. “It was very fulfilling,” Stock said. 

When asked to describe Girl Scouts in one sentence, Stock said it was “a community for women and young girls to grow and learn from each other. It’s generally a very welcoming and warm type of environment.”